2026 Marcela Pekna: Neuroscience Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Neuroscience	50	5641	5188	111	105	113	15110

Research.com Recognitions

2020 - Member of Academia Europaea

Overview

Marcela Pekna is affiliated with the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and has contributed extensively to the fields of neuroscience, medicine, and immunology and microbiology. Their research primarily addresses neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration mechanisms, complement system involvement in diseases, traumatic brain injury and neurovascular disturbances, as well as neonatal and fetal brain pathology.

Their scholarly output includes notable publications in well-regarded scientific journals. Recent papers authored or co-authored by Marcela Pekna include:

"Reactive astrocyte nomenclature, definitions, and future directions" (2021, Nature Neuroscience)
"The Complement System: A Powerful Modulator and Effector of Astrocyte Function in the Healthy and Diseased Central Nervous System" (2021, Cells)
"Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) in Blood-A Biomarker Predicting Unfavourable Outcome in the Acute Phase and Improvement in the Late Phase after Stroke" (2021, Cells)
"Complement C3a treatment accelerates recovery after stroke via modulation of astrocyte reactivity and cortical connectivity" (2023, Journal of Clinical Investigation)
"Reactive astrocytes prevent maladaptive plasticity after ischemic stroke" (2021, Progress in Neurobiology)

Marcela Pekna's collaborations frequently include the following co-authors:

Milos Pekny (15 joint publications)
Anna Stokowska (8 joint publications)
Ulrika Wilhelmsson (5 joint publications)
Yolanda de Pablo (5 joint publications)
Markus Aswendt (3 joint publications)

Their research has been published regularly in several scientific venues where multiple contributions have appeared, including:

Frontiers in Immunology (3 publications)
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (3 publications)
Cells (2 publications)
Neurochemical Research (2 publications)
iScience (2 publications)

Marcela Pekna's main fields of study are identified as Neuroscience (20 publications), Medicine (19 publications), and Immunology and Microbiology (14 publications). More specific subfields detailed within their research activity include Neurology (22 publications), Immunology (13 publications), Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (4 publications), Epidemiology (3 publications), and Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health (3 publications).

Their work encompasses several main topics related to brain health and disease mechanisms, including:

Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms (26 publications)
Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research (8 publications)
Complement system in diseases (8 publications)
Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances (6 publications)
Neonatal and fetal brain pathology (6 publications)
Immunotherapy and Immune Responses (6 publications)
Barrier Structure and Function Studies (4 publications)

In recognition of contributions to the scientific community, Marcela Pekna was appointed a Member of the Academia Europaea in 2020.

Best Publications

Reactive astrocyte nomenclature, definitions, and future directions

Carole Escartin;Elena Galea;András Lakatos;James P. O’Callaghan

2183
Citations
Astrocyte Reactivity and Reactive Astrogliosis: Costs and Benefits

Milos Pekny;Marcela Pekna

990
Citations
Astrocytes: a central element in neurological diseases

Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Marcela Pekna;Marcela Pekna;Marcela Pekna;Albee Messing;Christian Steinhäuser

801
Citations
The dual role of astrocyte activation and reactive gliosis.

Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Ulrika Wilhelmsson;Marcela Pekna

763
Citations
Glial cells in (patho)physiology.

Vladimir Parpura;Michael T. Heneka;Vedrana Montana;Stéphane H.R. Oliet

663
Citations
Protective Role of Reactive Astrocytes in Brain Ischemia

Lizhen Li;Andrea Lundkvist;Daniel Andersson;Ulrika Wilhelmsson

609
Citations
Astrocyte intermediate filaments in CNS pathologies and regeneration.

Milos Pekny;Marcela Pekna

541
Citations
Absence of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Vimentin Prevents Hypertrophy of Astrocytic Processes and Improves Post-Traumatic Regeneration

Ulrika Wilhelmsson;Lizhen Li;Marcela Pekna;Claes-Henric Berthold

532
Citations
Absence of Epithelial Immunoglobulin a Transport, with Increased Mucosal Leakiness, in Polymeric Immunoglobulin Receptor/Secretory Component–Deficient Mice

Finn-Eirik Johansen;Marcela Pekna;Inger Natvig Norderhaug;Bjørn Haneberg

459
Citations
Mice lacking glial fibrillary acidic protein display astrocytes devoid of intermediate filaments but develop and reproduce normally.

M. Pekny;P. Levéen;M. Pekna;C. Eliasson

430
Citations
Complement: a novel factor in basal and ischemia-induced neurogenesis

Yalda Rahpeymai;Max Albert Hietala;Ulrika Wilhelmsson;Andrew Fotheringham

326
Citations
Modulation of Neural Plasticity as a Basis for Stroke Rehabilitation

Marcela Pekna;Milos Pekny;Michael Nilsson

320
Citations
Reactive gliosis in the pathogenesis of CNS diseases.

Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Marcela Pekna;Marcela Pekna;Marcela Pekna

302
Citations
The role of astrocytes and complement system in neural plasticity.

Milos Pekny;Ulrika Wilhelmsson;Yalda Rahpeymai Bogestål;Marcela Pekna

230
Citations
Astrocyte activation and reactive gliosis-A new target in stroke?

Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny;Ulrika Wilhelmsson;Turgut Tatlisumak;Marcela Pekna

223
Citations
Complement Deficiency Ameliorates Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice

Max Albert Hietala;Ing-Marie Jonsson;Andrej Tarkowski;Sandra Kleinau

186
Citations
Complement-derived anaphylatoxin C3a regulates in vitro differentiation and migration of neural progenitor cells.

Noriko Shinjyo;Anders Ståhlberg;Mike Dragunow;Milos Pekny

184
Citations
Astrocytes negatively regulate neurogenesis through the Jagged1-mediated Notch pathway.

Ulrika Wilhelmsson;Maryam Faiz;Yolanda de Pablo;Marika Sjöqvist;Marika Sjöqvist

177
Citations
Glia in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases

Alexei Verkhratsky;Alexei Verkhratsky;Vladimir Parpura;Vladimir Parpura;Marcela Pekna;Marcela Pekna;Milos Pekny;Milos Pekny

175
Citations
Bioactive 3D cell culture system minimizes cellular stress and maintains the in vivo-like morphological complexity of astroglial cells

Till B. Puschmann;Carl Zandén;Yolanda De Pablo;Frank Kirchhoff

153
Citations
Neural Plasticity as a Basis for Stroke Rehabilitation

Michael Nilsson;Milos Pekny;Marcela Pekna

2
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Milos Pekny University of Gothenburg

Michael Nilsson University of Newcastle Australia

Henrik Zetterberg University of Gothenburg

Alexei Verkhratsky University of Manchester

Elly M. Hol Utrecht University

Vladimir Parpura University of Alabama at Birmingham

Kaj Blennow University of Gothenburg

Changlian Zhu University of Gothenburg

Maria Bokarewa University of Gothenburg

Rick A. Wetsel The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

External Links

Personal website of Marcela Pekna

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